Written Answers Tuesday 24 November 2009

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28500 by Shona Robison on 6 November 2009, what the outcome was of considerations on human trafficking during the construction phase by the multi-agency group, led by Strathclyde Police, covering all aspects of security for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the multi-agency group, led by Strathclyde Police, covering all aspects of security for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the multi-agency group, led by Strathclyde Police, covering all aspects of security for the 2014 Commonwealth games last met.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how often the multi-agency group, led by Strathclyde Police, covering all aspects of security for the 2014 Commonwealth Games meets.

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent by the multi-agency group, led by Strathclyde Police, covering all aspects of security for the 2014 Commonwealth Games on identifying victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation during the construction phase.

Shona Robison: The "multi-agency group" is a liaison group established by Strathclyde Police "B" Division (Glasgow East), to consider potential security issues, including human trafficking which may arise a result of the games construction programme in that area (i.e. the NISA/Velodrome complex and the Games Village). The main construction work on both these sites has still to commence. The group last met on 25 August and agreed that the UK Human Trafficking Centre would liaise directly with Strathclyde Police Asylum Liaison Officers working in the east end of Glasgow to facilitate delivery of the "Blue Blindfold" awareness programme to key construction staff once on site. The group anticipates holding regular meetings as the build programme progresses but have not yet determined an advanced schedule of meetings.

  The multi-agency group works within a wider governance structure. As part of its normal operational activity Strathclyde Police has a specialist Vice and Trafficking Unit which works closely with other UK law enforcement agencies addressing the threat of serious crime including that associated with human trafficking. Information from this unit is shared with the multi-agency group and the other groups within the governance structure.

  There is no specific budget for the "B Division G2014" group but as indicated in S3W-28500 there is an overall Games security budget in addition to the cost of routine policing.

  Whilst there is no intelligence to suggest that human trafficking is occurring in association with the 2014 Commonwealth Games, with intelligence gathering mechanisms already in place, partner agencies are in a position to co-ordinate positive enforcement action and provide support to victims should problems arise in the future.

Child Protection

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what role sheriff officers have in removing children from parents with care responsibilities.

Kenny MacAskill: Sheriff officers are officers of the court and their role is to exercise such powers as the courts specify in the order relating to each individual case. In terms of the Messengers-at-Arms Rules 1991, sheriff officers may exercise the following functions: (a) collect any debt constituted by decree or recoverable by summary warrant, (b) execute diligence and (c) execute a citation or serve any document required under any legal process. No extra-official activity may be undertaken without the permission of the sheriff principal.

Child Protection

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times in each of the last five years sheriff officers have been used to remove a child from a parent with care responsibilities when the child has not been deemed as being at risk.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not recorded by the Scottish Government.

Efficient Government

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the Efficient Government Outturn Report for 2008-2009.

John Swinney: We have today published the first Efficient Government Outturn Report for the 2008-2011 Efficient Government programme. It shows that efficiency gains of £838.9 million were made in 2008-09, against the target of £534.4 million. We have also today published the fourth iteration of the Efficiency Delivery Plans. Copies of both have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 49739 and 49740) and both will be available on the Scottish Government internet site very soon along with the plans:  www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/Outturn2008-09 .

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk//Publications/2009/11/EDPNovember2009.

Health

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the prescription drugs budget was for each NHS board in 2009-10.

Shona Robison: The setting of primary care prescribing budgets is devolved to NHS boards, who fund this expenditure from their unified budget. The allocations which boards make cover all items dispensed on prescriptions, including drugs and other items such as dressings, appliances and chemical reagents, and these are subject to revision as the year progresses. The current level of the primary care prescribing budget for each NHS board is available from the NHS board concerned.

Human Trafficking

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what it plans to do to increase conviction rates for human trafficking, given that there are no current convictions for trafficking in Scotland.

Kenny MacAskill: We have a comprehensive strategy in place to tackle this crime, set out in the UK Action Plan on Tackling Human Trafficking,  published jointly by the Scottish Government and Home Office. The action plan was most recently updated on the 19 October and copies are available from the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 49729).

  We continue to support law enforcement agencies to identify and pursuit the criminal gangs involved in this abhorrent serious organised crime. We have brought forward provision in the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill which amends and clarifies the trafficking offence provisions and which will ensure consistency of the law on this issue across the UK. We are also providing SCDEA with additional funding of £4 million over the next two years to boost capacity to tackle organised crime and, within that, provide Scotland’s first dedicated expert resource to build the intelligence necessary to support and improve human trafficking investigation.

  During Pentameter 2, a police-led operation aimed at disrupting trafficking for sexual exploitation which ran between October 2007 and March 2008, there were a total of 35 arrests made. A crown office analysis in 2008 revealed that of the 35 arrests made during that period there were 22 prosecutions, resulting in 18 convictions for offences including trading in prostitution, attempting to pervert the course of justice and offences under the Identity Cards Act 2006 and the Immigration Act 1971, and that sentences ranging from imprisonment to financial penalties have been imposed. There were no prosecutions for trafficking offences due to insufficient evidence.

  The Scottish Government and COPFS are working with ACPOS and those supporting victims of human trafficking to encourage victims to report these offences to the police. COPFS will continue to work with relevant agencies to raise awareness of human trafficking issues and to assist them to identify potential victims of such crime.

Influenza

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the population it estimates the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination priority groups to comprise.

Nicola Sturgeon: There are approximately 1.3 million people in the phase one priority groups identified for the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination programme. As announced on 19 November, children aged over six months and up to five years of age have also been prioritised to receive the H1N1 vaccination. The estimated population of this group is 260,000. The overall estimated percentage of the population included in the priority groups for vaccination is 27%.

  Further consideration is being given to vaccination of carers of elderly or disabled people however an estimated number for this group has not been included in the percentage given above as we have yet to identify exactly how many carers will be offered the vaccine.

Influenza

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it still plans to vaccinate the whole population against influenza A (H1N1) and, if so, whether there is a target date for achieving this.

Nicola Sturgeon: As announced on 19 November, the influenza A (H1N1) vaccination programme will be extended to offer vaccination to all children over six months and up to five years of age.

  Further consideration is also being given to vaccination of carers of elderly or disabled people however an estimated number for this group has not been included in the percentage noted above.

  Enough vaccine has been procured to protect 100% of the Scottish population if required. Discussions will take place over the coming weeks about future phases of the vaccination programme and will take into account the latest scientific advice, epidemiology, evidence and modelling predictions about the development of the pandemic.

Justice

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the system of regulation and quality checking of sheriff officers.

Kenny MacAskill: Regulation of Sheriff Officers is a matter for the Court of Session under Part V Section 75 (1) of the Debtors (Scotland) Act 1987. Amendments proposed in Schedule 2 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill (PSRB), which was introduced into Parliament on 28 May 2009, will give new powers to enable the Lord President to regulate officers more effectively and to appoint a person to inspect and report back on the work of officers of court. The PSRB also proposes an open and transparent complaints route; publication of a code of practice, to be approved by the Lord President, to ensure consistent behaviour and practice; publication of an annual report of the Advisory Council on Messengers at Arms and Sheriff Officers (the Advisory Council) which will report on officer activities; the introduction of lay representation on the Advisory Council and expansion of its activity in supervising officers.

Justice

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the system for training sheriff officers.

Kenny MacAskill: Regulation of training for sheriff officers is a matter for the Court of Session under Part V of the Debtor (Scotland) Act 1987. Amendments proposed in Schedule 2 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on 28 May 2009, will require all officers to be a member of a professional association approved by Scottish ministers. Compulsory membership will allow the professional association to provide consistent, high quality training that will include elements of continuous professional development. This improved training should raise standards generally amongst officers in relation to the performance of their duties.

Justice

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what system is in place to assess the suitability of candidates for sheriff officer appointments and whether it plans to review this system.

Kenny MacAskill: The suitability of those appointed as sheriff officers is a matter for the Court of Session under Part V of the Debtor (Scotland) Act 1987. There are no plans to review the system, however, under Schedule 2 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Bill, which was introduced to Parliament on 28 May 2009, membership of an approved professional association will be compulsory. The approved professional association will have its own criteria for accepting an application for membership, which will allow suitability to be assessed. Candidates will have a right of appeal against any decisions on applications for appointment.

Justice

Nicol Stephen (Aberdeen South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether sheriff officers have a power of arrest when attempting to remove a child from a parent with care responsibilities, even when the child has not been deemed to be at risk.

Kenny MacAskill: Sheriff officers are officers of the court and only have such powers as are specified in the court order. In terms of the Messengers-at-Arms and Sheriff Officer Rules 1991 sheriff officers may exercise the following functions: (a) collect any debt constituted by decree or recoverable by summary warrant; (b) execute diligence, and (c) execute a citation or serve any document required under any legal process. They do not have the power to arrest.

Justice

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to keep the public informed of the status of the medical condition of Mr Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi now that he has survived beyond the time limit referred to in Scottish Government guidance in relation to release on compassionate grounds.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not provide a running commentary on the health of a prisoner released on compassionate grounds.

Maternity Services

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many births there were at the (a) Vale of Leven and (b) Inverclyde Royal Hospital in each year since 1992.

Shona Robison: The information requested is set out in the following table:

  

Year
Vale of Leven Hospital
Inverclyde Royal Hospital


1992
1,234
1


1993
1,093
-


1994
1,109
475


1995
1,039
1,211


1996
1,001
1,115


1997
1,050
1,075


1998
926
1,053


1999
868
1,051


2000
914
964


2001
842
942


2002
696
880


2003
28
798


2004
58
81


2005
57
108


2006
74
73


2007
82
102


2008
97
96



  As in other statistics published by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS), each birth is counted on the basis of the year in which it was registered, which may not be the same as the year in which it occurred.

  Provisional figures for 2009 will not be available until March 2010.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the capital cost is of building the new Southern General Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: The total funding requirement associated with the provision of the new adult and children’s hospitals and laboratory project, as identified within the outline business case (January 2008), is £841.7 million. The associated construction cost of the three buildings based on the preferred bidders target price is circa £670 million including VAT, and is within the capital allowance in the outline business case.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the procurement process is for the new Southern General Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is the procuring authority. The board’s procurement strategy utilised the competitive dialogue procedure to facilitate discussion with bidders around pre-determined technical and commercial matters. The outcome of the competitive dialogue is the selection of a preferred partner who will contract with the board under a National Engineering and Construction contract (NEC) agreement to (i) design and construct the new laboratory building and (ii) design and construct the new adult and children’s hospital under a target/maximum price arrangement.

  This arrangement provides for the contract to be awarded following evaluation of the bids which were submitted on 11 September 2009. Post contract award, concurrent activities of the contractor are commencing the design and build of the laboratories element of the project, whilst undertaking design development of the hospitals element of the project. The (design development) culminates in the full business case compilation and approvals (October/November 2010): this forming an essential gateway which must be achieved to allow the commencement of the construction of the new hospitals element of the project.

  The terms of the contract awarded (including the overall target/maximum price for the works and programme dates and activity schedule milestones) are based on the preferred contractor’s final tender response at the end of the competitive dialogue process. As is noted above, specific gateway criteria (including necessary business case approvals) are incorporated into the design development, programme and activity schedule in the contract through to the commencement of construction of the adult and children’s hospital.

  In 2008, the board considered the time and cost implications of the bidding market in its procurement strategy and considered that the route adopted should reflect the market requirements and the commercial drivers of bidding a scheme of this size, nature and type: this was supported by the market sounding and engagement process that took place with potential bidders during third quarter 2008.

  In summary, the stages of the procurement can be summarised in outline as follows:

  

Stage
Heading
Outline Activities/Milestones


Stage 0
Competitive Dialogue
Bid and design development leading to submission of technical and cost information in final tenders. Identify maximum target price and agree pain/gain share. Select contractor – contract award.


Stage 1
Construct Laboratories
Consecutive to Stage 0 and concurrent with Stage 2.


Stage 2
Detailed Design of Adult, Children’s and Infrastructure to FBC Submission
Design development of adult and children’s hospitals.


Stage 3
Construct Adult and Children’s Hospital
Consecutive to Stage 2.


Stage 3A
Demolition of Surgical Block and associated buildings and completion of soft landscaping
Consecutive to Stage 3.



  This contract is based on the standard template NEC3 – Engineering and Construction Contract Option C Target Contract with Secondary Option Clauses as stated in Contract Data. Fuller details of this contract are available at http://www.neccontract.com/.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who assessed and determined the bids for the new Southern General Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as the procuring authority are responsible for this process.

  The evaluation of the bids was undertaken by a team with the appropriate skills, relevant knowledge and expertise to undertake the review and evaluation of technical and commercial submissions on a complex healthcare project. The board’s team comprised technical, legal, financial, clinical and non-clinical representatives with a total of 36 people being involved. The evaluation scoring of the bids was by consensus against compliance with the board’s requirements set out in their Invitation To Participate in Dialogue documentation.

  Four groups undertook selective evaluation of each of the bids against the board’s requirements in the areas of:

  Design

  Logistics

  Laboratories

  Commercial.

  The evaluation process was over viewed by the commercial team which acted in a governance capacity to ensure due process was complied with and scoring activities were applied fairly across all bids. The overall procurement process was overseen by the board’s head of procurement.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a tender pre-qualification for the Southern General Hospital contract included previous experience of building a hospital and whether the successful bidder met that condition.

Nicola Sturgeon: The tender pre-qualification questionnaire required bidders to demonstrate relevant technical experience of at least one £200+ million healthcare project in the last three years and the preferred bidder met this criteria.

  Brookfield have completed over 12 hospitals worldwide. Brookfield’s health personnel allocated to this project have been responsible for other significant health developments that include the new Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, the Addenbrooke’s Hospital Elective Care Centre, the redevelopment of Colchester Hospital and extensions to the Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

  Current projects in which Brookfield are involved currently is the completion of a state-of-the-art new 612 bed acute hospital in Peterborough worth £350 million. The acute hospital will be opened next year and is currently three months ahead of schedule, The Mental Health Unit and the City Care Centre, part of this PPP project, have both been completed on programme.

  Globally Brookfield is delivering the design and construction of the $1.76 billion (AUS) Fiona Stanley Hospital at Murdoch, Australia. The 643-bed hospital includes acute and medical surgical services, cancer services, emergency department, paediatrics and radiology services. Completion is expected in late 2013.

  The key supply chain involved in the South Glasgow project have been selected based largely upon their ability to deliver complex healthcare projects in a collaborative environment.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the successful bidder for the new Southern General hospital was the lowest cost bidder.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the successful bidder for the new Southern General hospital was the highest cost bidder.

Nicola Sturgeon: The bid was not the lowest one received but was the most economically advantageous tender representing best value for money all in accordance with the evaluation process previously notified to all those submitting tenders.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the successful bidder for the new Southern General hospital has (a) its company headquartered and (b) branches operating in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Brookfield is based in London and as a result of winning this contract the company will now be opening a Scottish office. The award of the New Southern General Hospital contract provides Brookfield with a sustainable base upon which to grow both its construction and investment businesses in Scotland.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the successful bidder for the new Southern General hospital contract currently employs staff in Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: Brookfield already has interests in Scotland. The parent company of the preferred bidder are the controlling shareholder (75%) of Norbord Inc, a worldwide manufacturer of Timber Building board systems whose European headquarters are in Cowie, Fife. Norbord currently employ approximately 1,000 people in Scotland shared between their headquarters at Cowie, Fife and a plant at Dalcross, Inverness. Norbord is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of engineered wood-based panels.

  Currently Brookfield Construction does not directly employ staff in Scotland. This will change imminently with both directly employed and indirectly employed staff to be engaged in relation to the New South Glasgow Hospital Project. Brookfield Construction is not a mass builder and as such, unlike the other bidders, do not have significant UK resource to find work for. Whilst they have a core team (20 to 30 people) capable of delivering the project, a significant number of the Brookfield team will be employed locally creating long-term employment for those involved. The project will require in excess of 2,500 operatives at its peak. Brookfield, and their supply chain, have committed that 10% of these workers will be new entrants to employment.

  The Brookfield bid comprised a world class team of well established subcontractors and consultants, a number of whom are based in Scotland such as civil and structural engineers WSP; landscape architects Gillespies, cost consultants Doig and Smith and Bathgate based Dunne Group who will carry out the sub and super structure works in a package worth circa £100 million.

  The Brookfield Director on the project will be Glaswegian Ross Ballingall who left Scotland 12 years ago to pursue major healthcare projects. He has since spent the last 12 years successfully delivering healthcare projects throughout the UK.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a requirement for local employment in the contract awarded for the building of the new Southern General Hospital and, if so, what level of employment is guaranteed as a percentage of the overall workforce.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has sought to maximise training and employment opportunities, business start up and business growth through a targeted approach to securing benefit for communities in Greater Glasgow and Clyde in the procurement process for the new hospitals.

  The board included specific community benefit considerations in the procurement process for the new hospitals, requiring bidders to provide a method statement outlining how they would meet the following objectives:

  Target 10% of total labour required to deliver the project (including those works delivered by specialists, or sub-contractors) to be delivered by new entrants, training and up-skilling of existing employees, assess and develop the capacity of Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs)/ Social Enterprises

  In addition, bidders were required to demonstrate how they would meet the bid requirements to:

  Provide regular monitoring information (at least quarterly),

  Develop Case Studies (at least quarterly),

  Participate in Stakeholder Evaluation.

  The above objectives were bid requirements, to be met by all bidders.

  As part of the competitive dialogue process bidders were encouraged to liaise with key stakeholders in South West Glasgow and Glasgow City in developing their submissions and overall approach to the objectives outlined above. Therefore, bidders were able to outline an approach that best met their delivery model and demonstrates to the board how they would successfully meet the bid requirements.

  The following quote from Brookfield is relevant:

  "Brookfield fully support the board’s Employability and Health Strategy which seeks to provide community benefit from procurement. As part of the proposals Brookfield and its supply chain, have committed to employing 10% of the workforce as new entrants. Brookfield have engaged a team, led by Rosh Campbell of Glasgow South West Regeneration Agency, to ensure that the company fulfils its promises in relation to Training and Recruitment, SME’s and Social Enterprises. Rosh will be supported by Glasgow City Council on SME’s and Community Enterprises in Strathclyde on Social Enterprises.

  Brookfield is also committed to ensuring that local contractors are used wherever possible. Bathgate based Dunne Group are to undertake a package of work, circa £100 million, for the substructure and superstructure works.

  Key supply chain partners for M&E, building envelope and partitions are all in place. These companies will be seeking to resource their works in Scotland and will provide opportunity for subcontractors to work with them or for directly employed local resources."

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will estimate the number of jobs that will be lost as a result of awarding the contract to build the new Southern General Hospital to a company or companies headquartered outwith Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon: The successful contractor will have to recruit a large number of people to deliver the contract.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the successful bid to build the new Southern General Hospital was received before the deadline for receipt of tenders.

Nicola Sturgeon: All the bids were received before 12 noon on the 11 September 2009 which was the deadline.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its view is on the comment made by Mark Audenwood of Nightingale Associates, successful bidders for the new Southern General hospital contract, in the RIBA journal of October 2009, "when I last wrote this column I talked about the 5 years it took to set up Nightingale’s Cape Town "Branch" office, which is now a slick 40 strong operation which supports the entire (Nightingale) practice with production information for many of our UK projects…" and whether it considers that this augurs well for Scottish jobs.

Nicola Sturgeon: Nightingale Associates is a UK-based international architectural practice specialising in the design of healthcare facilities, which has been recognised by numerous design awards.

  The Cape Town branch office supports Nightingale Associates in the UK for a single, highly-specialised phase of the design stage on any project. The SA-based team has developed highly efficient practices for producing approximately 3% of the overall design workload, the rest being completed in the UK. This enables the UK offices to invest more on the work that essentially must be produced in the UK because of its interface with the construction activities.

  This well tried approach allows Nightingale the maximum potential for developing a Scotland-based design team using locally-recruited architects who will work from a newly-established office in Glasgow to deliver the vast majority of the architectural work. Nightingale Associates has a history of working in Scotland, and are committed to using local staff and resources as appropriate to the needs of the project.

  The firm is currently also working on other projects through the NHSScotland’s Frameworks Scotland initiative in collaboration with other Scottish-based architects and design team members and are committed to employing local resources particularly during the delivery stages of the design process.

  It is a matter for Nightingale’s to respond directly to the article.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that the contract for the new Southern General Hospital is delivered on time and on budget, given the track record of the successful bidder with Wembley Stadium, which was reportedly two years late and millions over budget.

Nicola Sturgeon: Brookfield’s track record reflects hundreds of projects world-wide delivered on time and on budget.

  NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have put in place appropriate governance arrangements for such an important and complex project. The New South Glasgow Hospitals and Laboratory Project Executive Board (NSGHLPEB) has delegated authority to make executive decisions on critical points in the project programme. The role of the board is to oversee the overall progress of the project to ensure project objectives are achieved. The board meets monthly or more frequently depending upon the needs of the project and will report into the Acute Services Review Programme Board. It is accountable for the planning and delivery of all procurement, financial and technical measures required to deliver the identified investment and services that fall within the scope of the whole project. This will ensure there is appropriate progress on:

  Procurement:

  Procurement Plan and timetable,

  Procurement Administration,

  Bid evaluation process and administration,

  Procurement budget control,

  Risk Management,

  Change control administration.

  Finance:

  Negotiating commercial issues,

  Draft Contracts/Final Contracts,

  Report on issues affecting affordability,

  Examine financing proposals and make recommendations to the ASRPB,

  Develop and report Value for Money (VfM) proposals,

  Cost Control.

  Technical:

  Technical Output Specs,

  Bid Evaluation Process,

  Test technical viability of solutions,

  All planning issues,

  All changes to contract/design/specification,

  Construction and Commissioning,

  Financial Risk Management,

  Adherence to Standing Financial Instructions.

  From the outset, the importance of cost and programme was recognised by the board and their advisors and the selection of the procurement route and form of contract were based upon the ability to minimise the risks of over run. The form of contract being utilised; NEC 3 Option C, is an industry standard form which is promoted for use by the Office of Government Commerce and is also the main stay of NHSScotland’s Frameworks Scotland national construction framework.

  The NEC3 Contract is centred on collaborative working practices, but also contains a maximum price within which the contractor must deliver the board’s requirements. This contract provides for an incentivised pain/gain share approach, whereby the performance of the contractor in many respects including time and cost is incentivised to deliver within cost and on time parameters. Management of the works is focused on programme delivery with a requirement on the contractor to provide detailed monthly updates and early warning notices on any cost or programme implications. Details of the NEC3 contract can be found at http://www.neccontract.com/

  The treatment of risk in the project is also important and has been, and will continue to be, addressed and managed in several interconnected ways.

  Overarching the process has been an active risk register that has highlighted and categorised risks to the scheme, provided owners for risks and noted actions and mitigation where relevant.

  Regular Project Team meetings reviewed the risk register as a live management tool, as well as discussing, organising, planning and managing the procurement of the scheme, with the Project Team reporting into the overall management and governance structure put in place by the board as covered earlier.

  Prior to issue of the tender package to bidders, and an aspect of the overall governance and risk review and assessment of the procurement, stringent validation of the readiness to go to market and assessment of the scheme by third parties was carried out and completed.

  The procurement process and engagement with bidders addressed risk in the Competitive Dialogue period and up to bid submission in several ways, including:

  Discussing and evolving risk registers with each bidder at the Commercial Dialogue as well as preparing a master risk register that identifies the "owner" (Board or Contractor) project risks (e.g. Planning, Ground Conditions etc);

  Identification of responsibility for physical and technical matters (and therefore risks) through the Contract Data (Employer’s Requirements), and

  Incorporation and identification of the rights and obligations of the parties in relation to risk included in the Contract.

  As the project moves forwards into the design development and construction phase there are a number of activities that support proactive risk management of the process. These include:

  The continuation of the governance structure established by the board to manage and oversee the project;

  Separate, but parallel risk registers covering:

  - Board Retained Risk

  - Contractor Risk.

  Regular Project Team meetings, including review and updating the project risk registers;

  The use of a contract and process that provides for an Early Warning approach to risk, this allows potential risks (of whatever nature) to be highlighted, tabled, discussed, managed and resolved by the parties which will either avoid their occurrence or manage and mitigate the event that has occurred;

  The clarity provided with regard to the risk profile of both the Board and the Contractor due to the establishment and agreement of the risk registers relating to project risks (e.g. Planning, Ground Conditions etc);

  A partnership approach, not only in the use of the Early Warning system, but in the establishment of a joint executive team to liaise and manage matters that are escalated;

  Live monitoring and review of the construction programme as a management tool as a feature of the contract;

  An incentivised contract with an established commercial position with regard to pain/gain mechanisms between the board and the contractor.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its view is on the comment made in Building Design on 13 November 2009 about Richard Harrington of Nightingale Associates, successful bidders for the new Southern General Hospital, that "recruitment could be confined to South Africa where its team will carry out room layout plans. Nightingale has a number of schemes in Scotland but Harrington said it would probably just open a project office there rather than a permanent one."

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29016 on 24 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  It is a matter for Nightingale’s to respond to the article.

NHS Hospitals

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) cost and (b) expected completion date for the new Southern General Hospital (i) was when it was first announced and (ii) is today.

Nicola Sturgeon: When the New South Glasgow Hospitals and Laboratory project was formally announced on 22 May 2008 by Shona Robison MSP the value of the project was £841.7 million. The completion date anticipated at that time was July 2014 subject to the outcome of the procurement process.

  The cost of the scheme is still within £841.7 million. The date forecast for the completion of the main hospitals within the preferred bidders tender is January 2015. An additional Stage (3A) has been developed since the completion of the Outline Business Case. This stage involves the demolition of the old Surgical Block and associated buildings and completion of soft landscaping areas to complete the central park area and will finish in the summer of 2016.

Police

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when the first meeting of the Scottish Policing Board will take place.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Policing Board met for the first time on 23 November 2009.

Police

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Scottish Policing Board will meet following its first meeting.

Kenny MacAskill: The second meeting of the board is scheduled for 27 January 2010. The board will meet again in March or April, and thereafter is expected to meet quarterly.

Police

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Policing Board will have the power to set (a) policies, (b) strategies and (c) standards for police forces.

Kenny MacAskill: The role of the Scottish Policing Board is to be a forum for collective discussion and agreement on key strategic issues for policing in Scotland. Further detail on the remit of the board is given in the Scottish Policing Board foundation document, which was agreed at the first meeting on 23 November 2009. Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament’s Information Centre (Bib. number 49746). This document sets out the board’s role, remit and membership.

Police

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all police authorities and joint boards will have representation on the Scottish Policing Board.

Kenny MacAskill: Police authorities and joint boards will be represented by the chair of the police authorities’ conveners’ forum and three other nominated conveners.

Police

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to concerns that a Scottish Policing Board would infringe on the legal functions of the tripartite arrangement.

Kenny MacAskill: The foundation document agreed at its first meeting set out a number of guiding principles for the Scottish Policing Board. These include a commitment that the board will occupy a new role and not duplicate work already done by existing bodies, and will recognise and complement the existing statutory responsibilities of its members.

Rail Network

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is a specific date for construction work to start on the Waverley railway line.

Stewart Stevenson: Construction work for the borders railway will commence in 2010, for advance works such as utilities diversions. Site clearance of vegetation will commence in winter 2010. This will ensure a clear site for the main contract commencement in 2011.

Rail Network

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it anticipates that the construction contract for the Waverley railway line will be awarded.

Stewart Stevenson: Construction of the works authorised by the Waverley Railway Act will commence in 2010, with the first of the ancillary works defined in the act. It is anticipated that a contract for the construction of the railway works defined in the act will be awarded in autumn 2011.